Adulterated and sub-standard Iftar items have flooded the hats, bazaar and markets of Netrakona district since the first day of Ramadan causing serious health hazards.
Fasting peoples have been attacked with various kinds of intestinal diseases just after taking such adulterated and sub-standard Ifter items earlier bought from roadsides makeshift shop.
Apart from established restaurants, the seasonal makeshift stall on both sides of the roads, streets, lanes and by lanes and different road crossing areas in the afternoon where they have been displaying their different kinds of Ifter Items which prepared by them in an unhygienic conditions.
The Iftery items, displayed in the organized tables keeping uncovered in front of the shops. Owners of the Ifteri shops or makeshift stalls are doing the brisk business not only in the rural hats and bazaars, different road-crossing points and district town from the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan. There is a heavy rush of devotees in the Ifteri shops throughout the district and in different points of the town.
With the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan the roads and pavements of the town and different upazila headquarters have become crowded with the vendors for selling various Ifter items.
They are preparing to sell various kinds of Ifter items like Jilaphi, Bundias, Muri, different kinds of Sweetmeats, Piaju, Vegetable Chop, Potato Chop, Choola, Beguni etc.
The fruit shops owners are found for selling different kinds of fruits mixed with formalin. Some buyers alleged that most of the roadside vendors are selling sub-standard adulterated Ifter items and earning more profit charging exorbitant prices from the buyers especially Rozadars.
The owners of different Ifter shops are reportedly mixing color with various kinds of Ifteri items such Baguni, Potato Chop, vegetable Chops, Piaju, and Jilaphi to make these attractive to allure buyers, it is widely alleged.
It may be noted here that Uria is being used for making puffed rice and adulterated edible oil is being used for many tems for preparing Ifter items is also.
One kilogram of date is being sold at Tk. 180 to TK. 250. High quality of date is being sold at Tk. 300 to Tk. 350. Prices of puffed rice is Tk. 75 to Tk. 90, Banana Tk. 40 to Tk. 60 per one hali (four piece) and apple at Tk. 150 to Tk. 180 per kg.
In the afternoon, peoples from all walk of life mainly fasting peoples are seen crowded in these makeshift stall and purchasing their essentials and favorite food items for Ifter are mostly adulterated and sub-standard.
Masum Ahmed, an Ifteri shop owner of the town said that the sale of Ifteri items is dull this year than previous years due to abnormal high prices. He added that the customers only enquired about prices but hardly seen to buy.
Mentioned here that by eating these colored mixing adulterated sub-standard Ifter items many people reportedly fallen sick. Most of them are attacked with diarrhea, dysentery and other intestinal diseases.
It is further alleged that some traders are also using impure and adulterated soybean oil and also seen using soybean oil again and again to prepare their items for the Ifteri purposes.
Doctors of Netrakona Sadar Hospital, said that such adulterated and Sub-standard Ifteri items made with chemical and artificial color may cause serious diseases. After long time fasting, if a person eats contaminated food, it gets rapidly digested and transported into the blood, causing serious health hazards.
